


Gargalesis

by Aurorealis



Series: Hobbit prompt fills [2]
Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Community: hobbit_kink, Fluff, Gen, Kink Meme, M/M, Prompt Fill, Tickle Fights, Tickling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-14
Updated: 2014-02-14
Packaged: 2018-01-12 07:38:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1183628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aurorealis/pseuds/Aurorealis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>fill for prompt on hobbit kmeme:</p><p>"Dwarves aren't ticklish at all but Hobbits are really ticklish. Thorin finds out and proceeds to tickle Bilbo until he's wheezing and crying with laughter. "</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A gift revealed

**Author's Note:**

> link to prompt: http://hobbit-kink.livejournal.com/10731.html?thread=21976555#t21976555
> 
> as per always, this is far more fluff than ship. If you're looking for something that turns smutty you aren't going to find it here (no disrespect at all for all those who do write smut/porn, I've just always leaned more to the asexual side and I really dont feel comfortable with writing it)

Laketown may have been a dingy, dirty, and frankly somewhat miserable place, but it certainly got better when they weren't stuck hiding out in Bard's house. When the villagers were rejoicing, and the master of the town had given them warm lodgings and food, the situation lightened considerably. Everyone could take a breather, and shed their stress for a short while. For one night, Thorin was glad not to dwell to hard on the lonely mountain that loomed over them. They had made it, the mountain wasn't going anywhere, and Durins day was close but far enough away for him to relax. 

After their hot meal, the dwarves all sat close together, shoulders brushing as they all took each other in. Even Bilbo was scrunched up between a cheerful Fili and Kili, looking pleased if a little fussy at being crowded against. Thorin was sure that Fili and Kili did it on purpose, ever since Bilbo had won them over, they had always been sure to involve him whenever he started to look excluded from the group. Thorin was truly lucky to have such deceptively thoughtful nephews, and so he gave the three a pleased look before engaging Dwalin in conversation. 

Soon enough, the subject came to braids. They of course all had their own family and friend braids, but none for the company as a whole, Balin brought up. And now that he mentioned it, Bofur shouted gleefully that they must decide on one now. He would be excited, Thorin mused. Working class families did not get honour braids nearly as much. Usually they had a braid from their family, and from their spouse's family, and maybe one between best friends. The honour braids from battles fought, saving important lives, or defeating great enemies was usually reserved to royalty and high class dwarves. 

Regardless of who had what braids though, it was a good idea and Thorin immediately gave his consent as leader. He would trust his company more than all of the other dwarves combined, save for his sister. It was only natural to immortalize this importance in a braid for each of them, so all others could see the bond they had wrought from the struggles of their journey. Honestly, the only reason Thorin hadn't thought of it himself already is that they had all simply been too busy.

They immediately began to discuss the braids design. It would be based off of the honour braid one got as part of a company in battle that went above and beyond. But it should also have some embellishments common to family braids, maybe a touch of life-debt braid. Thorin pitched in as they discussed the bead that would top each braid. The bead was just as important as the braid, perhaps more so, because there were only so many types of braids one could do. The bead was what confirmed it's unique identity, a shared braid that was part of a larger whole. Everything else was just speculated meaning that only the company would be able to fully interpret. 

Out of the corner of his eye, Thorin caught Bilbo making to slip away. Even though that was highly disrespectful, Thorin could tell immediately it wasn't intended. There had been enough culture clashes on their journey for Thorin to tell when a misunderstanding was afoot. No doubt Bilbo thought something silly, like them not intending to give him the braid too. So Thorin cut off his speech mid sentence and turned to Bilbo fully, giving him an unspoken but clear command. Bilbo froze, giving Thorin a bewildered look of his own. 

Thorin sighed. “Sit down, burglar. This concerns you too.” Bilbo flushed slightly, and squeaked as he so often did, but sat back down. Thorin only nodded at that, noting the soft smile that graced the hobbit's face for a moment. As he had thought, Bilbo refused to ditch the notion that the company was long through with excluding him from anything, even dwarven culture. Heck, if Bilbo had really wanted to, Thorin probably wouldn't have denied him the Khuzdul language, for all that it was meant to be kept secret from non-dwarves.

Though he wasn't going to say it, personally Thorin thought Bilbo to be more of a dwarf than a lot of the dwarves he knew, minus present company. 

It took a while to hammer out the details of the bead. Some wanted to wait until they had Erebor back, then the beads could be made from the finest jewels of the hoard. Others thought it bad luck to promise a braid without granting it before launching themselves into danger. They were lucky enough to survive with everyone intact so far, they should braid everyone now so that they would have their symbol before facing the dragon. Eventually it was decided that the bead would have a base of simple wood, to reference their dire beginnings. At the start, everyone was some combination of poor and homeless, from the toymaker to the royalty. The wooden beads would have a hollow centre to fill with a treasure from Erebor. This would represent the core of their quest, the hope of a home that brought them together.

Those of the company best at wood working immediately left to go seek out the perfect material while everyone started practising the agreed upon braid with each other. When they put it in for real, Thorin would start by choosing one person to braid, and they would braid it into another's, who would braid another's, until the last person would braid Thorin's. Thorin could choose anyone to start with, but since being the first to be given the braid was a fair honour, it would typically be someone who had truly proven themselves. Thorin didn't even need to consider who it would be. For all that everyone had proven themselves, none had overcome his initial feelings towards them like their little hobbit. Of course, that was mostly because none had received the same level of distrust and ire as Bilbo had, but that just made it all the more important that he be the one.

Looking at Bilbo's hair, which was shorter and curlier than anyone else, Thorin grudgingly admitted he would need some practise of his own if he wanted it to look anything like the rest of them. He thanked the stars that Bofur had managed to dissuade Bilbo when he had wanted to get his hair cut. Hobbits didn't like to wear long hair, Thorin could get that, but there was still so little to work with. He beckoned at Bilbo, who looked unsure but came over anyway.

Thorin pointed in front of his crossed legs. “Sit down.” He could see the confusion light up in Bilbo's eyes.   
“What? Why?” Thorin rolled his eyes, and pinned his burglar with a regal look that he knew he could pull off despite his position on the floor. Bilbo screwed his eyebrows together and hesitated few moments longer before complying. He sat facing Thorin with several feet of space between them.

“Not like that, burglar. Closer.” Bilbo shook his head lightly, stammering out a nervous “W-why?!” Thorin wasn't in the mood to be helpful. Did Bilbo not see anything around him? Bifur was combing through the thick hair at Bombur's neck. Fili was already weaving some strands at the side of Kili's head, poking fun at his brother's lack of facial hair yet again. So instead of patiently explaining what seemed more than obvious to him, Thorin leaned over and hooked a hand under Bilbo's armpit, dragging the hapless Hobbit over until he was nearly on Thorin's lap. Then he simply grasped both shoulders and turned Bilbo around to so he could access the back of his head. 

Out of surprise or embarrassment, Thorin wasn't sure, but Bilbo immediately tried to stand up, flailing his hands and sputtering in confusion. Instinctively, Thorin stilled the wriggling form in front of him with a hand on his shoulder. Spotting a pointed ear that was definitely more red than usual, Thorin chuckled lightly. Embarrassment it was, then. “Calm down, Bilbo. Stay put, I'm just going to practise the braid.” Thorin finally told the Hobbit, pitying him as he noticed the blush was spread across Bilbo's face. 

“I-I see that, but do you have to be so close? I don't mean any offence of course, but you dwarves appear to be much more comfortable in such close quarters. I'm afraid I don't-” Bilbo cut off his rambling as Thorin started combing the curly hair lightly with his fingers, looking for a good location for the braid.

He inwardly grumbled. There really wasn't much to work with. But Thorin would be damned if he didn't find the perfect spot in the burglar's braid-less hair. Not even a family braid! Perhaps when this was all said and done, Thorin might give him an honorary Durin braid. That sort of thing was never done, save for marriage or adoption, but then again a hobbit journeying with dwarves was never done either. 

Finally, Thorin decided on a section of hair just behind Bilbo's ears. He gently pulled at the thick curls, slightly straighter and longer at this spot. But just as Thorin's fingers brushed the scalp there, Bilbo flinched lightly. Thorin frowned and brushed again, knuckles lightly grazing a pointed ear. Bilbo reflexively flinched again, tucking his head to one side and hunching a shoulder up to cover the spot all in one motion.

“Burglar?” Thorin prompted, concerned. “Are you hurt there?” Bilbo turned to face him, shaking his head quickly.

“No, no of course not! It's just sensitive there!” He reassured, far too quickly. Thorin raised one eyebrow in response. “I hardly touched you.”

“Yes, I realize that, it didn't hurt. Just a tad ticklish there.”

Thorin just stared in slight bafflement. “What do you mean by ticklish? Does that mean it hurts?” 

“No, no it doesn't hurt! It's just ticklish, you know? I've heard that humans get ticklish on their feet.”

Thorin racked his brain for any knowledge of a sensation known as ticklish. Nothing came up, and he said as much. 

“Really? Do dwarves truly never feel ticklish?” Bilbo looked Thorin over in curiosity. “Well, hobbits get ticklish in sensitive spots, like the ears, the back of the neck, and the armpits. When someone touches lightly, it can feel tingly. If they brush a little more, sometimes it tickles enough to laugh.” 

“That sounds terrible!” Kili butted in, having overheard the conversation. “You'd just be accidentally making yourself laugh all the time!” 

Bilbo turned to them with a frown. “Actually, it only works if its another person. It's impossible to tickle yourself to the point of laughing.” 

“Really? That's so odd. Hobbits are so odd.” Fili nodded his head sagely. Kili gave Bilbo a considering look that Thorin knew to watch out for. In a burst of speed, Kili pounced and tackled Bilbo, who then falled into Thorin in an attempt to escape. 

“Come on, I want to see what being ticklish looks like!” Kili whined, arms reaching out even as Bilbo kicked with his formidable hobbit feet. In the struggle, Kili managed to grapple at Bilbo's waist. Just as Thorin grabbed Kili's collar to throw him off, it happened. Kili's grip had slid down to just above Bilbo's hip, his hand now touching skin. Kili had tried to reaffirm his grip, but his hand went slightly under shirt instead and he ended up squeezing lightly at the sensitive flesh there.

Bilbo flinched madly, and both had instantly worried that Bilbo had been hurt, but then they heard it. A sudden giggle, sounding as surprised as they were to hear it. It was such a clear, happy note that Thorin could scarcely hear anything else even as he finally threw Kili off. Bilbo blushed when he saw Thorin's slack jawed expression, straightening up and pulling his shirt back down. 

“Well then,” Bilbo huffed. “Now you know what it looks like. If you'll excuse me...” and Bilbo made his escape. Thorin watched him go. Kili just laughed. “So that's what tickling is! It sounds really fun, I'll have to get Bilbo again later.”

“You will do no such thing.” Thorin snapped absently, as he went over that sound again. How could just a touch on the sides make Bilbo laugh like that?

“Oh, Kili, you shouldn't have done that.” Fili sighed, patting his brother's shoulder. “You're giving uncle ideas. The kind of ideas that Bilbo's never going to forgive you for giving”

Thorin stood up immediately and left, not hearing a single word.


	2. A gift explored

It was several hours later when Thorin approached Bilbo again. Bofur and Bifur were doing the brunt of the bead carving, being quite familiar with wood. Thorin had felt a little bad for it, but he was curious about the laugh Bilbo had made, he wanted to be the one to cause it rather than his rambunctious nephew. 

Bilbo had retired to his room, laying across his bed and quietly reading a book that had been left in one of the rooms by a previous inn patron. He looked up when Thorin entered, closing the door behind him. He had calmed down long ago, and so only put his book down and glanced up at Thorin patiently. Thorin sat down on the side of the bed closest to Bilbo. 

“I... have a few questions.” Thorin broke the silence sheepishly. Bilbo just raised an eyebrow. “About your... ticklishness.” At that, the second eyebrow raised, and Bilbo chuckled. 

“I'm not sure what there is to say about it. To be honest, being tickled is a bit hard to describe, I still can't really believe it that dwarves aren't ticklish at all.” 

“Well,” Thorin considered, drawing up the conclusions he had came to after a long deliberation. “When I thought about it for a while, I do think dwarves have something a little similar. I've heard of toddlers and babes that sometimes squirm and giggle when their mother strokes their feet and sides. But by the time they can properly speak, their skin has already toughened and it doesn't happen anymore. We always assumed it was a strange temporary quirk of having such thin, delicate skin.” 

Bilbo gave a small nod. “I imagine that's it, then. An important part of being ticklish is the sensitivity level. That's why the only place you'll find a hobbit is never ticklish is their feet.” 

Thorin gave Bilbo a considering look. “You mean to say hobbits are ticklish everywhere else?” 

“Oh no, of course not. Different hobbits get ticklish in different places, although there are some common areas. Some hobbits are more ticklish than others as well. As a fauntling, you always knew to be careful of the one who wasn't ticklish.”

“And why is that?”

Bilbo snorted at the hopeful tone. Why did Thorin care so much about it, anyways? “Because they would win all of the tickle fights, of course.”

“Tickle fights?” Thorin questioned again. “Yes, you know, children trying to tickle each other until someone gives up. From what I remember, they can get quite vicious. It's hard to believe, but induced laughter can be quite the weapon.” 

Thorin let out a long breath, contemplating the information. He glanced surreptitiously at the closed door before giving Bilbo another look over. Bilbo gulped at the sudden spark of mischief that he most certainly wasn't used to seeing in Thorin's eyes. “Now, you better not be thinking of anything with that expression. Honestly, you look like Kili right now.” Bilbo added the last part to goad some sense into Thorin, who only ignored it.

“And how ticklish are you, master burglar?” Thorin spoke quietly but purposefully, leaning closer to Bilbo with what might have been the beginnings of a smirk. Bilbo leaned back in kind. “Hardly ticklish at all, not that it's any of your business, thank you very much!” 

At this, Thorin did smirk. He shuffled over so that he was right next to Bilbo, who made an attempt to push away only to meet an arm on his other side. “But you laughed so easily when Kili just brushed your sides. And merely touching the skin behind your ear made you turn away. I must admit, I'm curious about this sensation. I want to hear your laugh again.”

“Now now, let's not do anything we might regret, please and thank you!” Bilbo squeaked, losing his composure finally as Thorin practically loomed over him. “I swear I will kick you with everything I've got.” Bilbo drew his legs up in an attempt to put some distance between the two, but Thorin was faster. His fingers whipped out to where Kili's had been hours earlier, just under Bilbo's shirt but not under enough to be indecent. He ran his fingers down the soft skin, squeezing in lightly at the slight fat reserves left over from Bilbo's life of comfort. 

The response was instantaneous. Bilbo giggled, scrunching away from Thorin's hands, Bilbo's own coming down to bat them away. Thrilled by the response, Thorin repeated the action more vigorously, despite the Hobbits efforts to remove his hand. The giggle broke out into a full laugh, and now feet did push sharply into his gut. 

It was stronger than Thorin expected, almost feeling like a horse's hind legs, and his breath escaped in a wheeze. Bilbo scrambled up into a sitting position. “Thorin? I'm dreadfully sorry, but you know, I did warn you. Tickles do tend to bring out my stronger reflexes. Are you okay?” Thorin had stopped moving for a moment, recovering from the kick. 

“Yes, I'm fine.” Thorin answered, slightly guilty from Bilbo's concern. “You, on the other hand..” Not guilty enough though, and this time, Thorin pounced. He used his own leg to sweep Bilbo's to the side and pinned Bilbo's hands with one of his. He used his other hand to trail down his armpits this time, eliciting a fierce struggle from his burglar, but not a laugh. He stroked again, and felt the shudders of mirth, but Bilbo was biting his lip so as not to laugh.

Thorin huffed in annoyance, and Bilbo probably would have laughed at that if it weren't for his strong desire to not laugh at all. Since when was Thorin playful, of all things? This was Thorin! “Get off me, you great lump!” Bilbo bucked at the hold unsuccessfully. His face felt like it was burning red from his current predicament. And if Thorin's expression was anything to go by, then it was. Of course, it looked like Thorin was blushing a bit too, but Bilbo wasn't paying much attention to his face as much as he was trying to break free.

With an air of determination that was usually reserved for the battlefield, and most certainly did not belong here, when Bilbo was in this situation, Thorin renewed his efforts. With his free hand, he trailed feather light touches across his collarbone and neck, sometimes pressing in with the tips of his fingers. Thorin watched Bilbo's reactions like a hawk, observing exactly which types of touches over which locations caused him to bite his lip harder, or his muscles to jump faster. 

With a bout of inspirtation, Thorin leaned over further and blew softly at his burglar's ear. It twitched violently and Bilbo whipped his head as far away as he could, biting down more firmly. “Come on, Bilbo,” Thorin called softly. “I just want to hear your laugh.” If anything, Bilbo stuck his chin out further in stubbornness. Thorin pouted slightly, and only for a moment, but it was still a pout, nearly giving Bilbo a heart attack from the shock. 

Noting Bilbo's distraction, and not one to let an advantage slip away, he took his chance to whip his free hand up and scratch ever so lightly behind Bilbo's ears. The resulting peal of laughter surprised Thorin into loosening his grip. Bilbo, who had learned by this point in the journey not lo lose an advantage either, slipped his wrists from Thorin's hold and sought ticklish spots of his own. 

Thorin laughed, a full booming sound, not from the tickling, but at the attempts themselves. “Did we not just go over this? I am not ticklish, I can scarcely even comprehend the sensation.” He punctuated his words by now using both hands to rub and scratch Bilbo's ears, having found the sweet spot. Bilbo began to heave with laughter, aborting his pathetic attempts to fight back in favour of pushing at Thorin's arms. 

“Well, it's really not fair!” Bilbo managed between gasps of laughter. Thorin didn't answer, instead pulling himself until he was nearly on top of Bilbo and running both hands down Bilbo's ribs, now having gotten the hand of exactly how hard to press. Bilbo tried twisting and turning away from the seeking hands even as his laughter came out more like a screech by now. His knees were trapped even more tightly now, and his arms were almost useless. Just as he managed to push on the insides of Thorin's elbows- the only place he could strike in an attempt to close the joint- Thorin's arms would slip away and he would return to his goal of driving Bilbo absolutely mad with laughter.

At some point, Bilbo's shirt had been hiked up, fully exposing his ribs, waist, and hips to Thorin's attacks. Thorin had found Bilbo's weakest spot aside from his ears, at the slight pudge between waist and hip, and he exploited it mercilessly. But still, Bilbo refused to give up, no doubt laughing hard enough to wake the dead by now.

But then there came the breaking point. His eyes were wet from sheer laughter, his ribs cramping and his stomach muscles aching. But still, he couldn't stop. He could scarcely breath, and even that knowledge couldn't make him stop. “Thorin!” He gasped, barely capable of speech. “I give up! Stop it!” 

And this time, immediately sensing the tiredness, the desperate huffing of air, Thorin complied immediately. Hesitantly, he looked over Bilbo again. His exposed chest was sucking in great lung fulls of air now, and Thorin was breathing a bit heavy himself. Both of them were sweating, but Bilbo, having spent much more energy struggling than Thorin had restraining, was practically drenched in sweat. 

It was Thorin's turn to have his face burn at the sight. Bilbo was lying underneath him, perspiring and out of breath, his cheeks rosy red. No one could blame him for his mind running elsewhere. In a fit of embarrassment unlike him, Thorin scrambled off of Bilbo, sitting on the side of the bed like he had before. 

“I...” Thorin started, suddenly unsure of himself. “I apologize. I wanted to see it again, and hear it, but once I did, I got ahead of myself.” Thorin looked away, and then back at Bilbo guiltily.

Bilbo didn't answer right away, busy as he was regaining his breath. “I'm okay”, he finally said, wiping tears of mirth off his face. Thorin misinterpreted it though, and immediately flinched back. 

“You were crying? I had no idea. I am so sorry, I never meant to cause such distress-” Bilbo cut him off with a breathy chuckle. “Don't be silly, it's just from laughing too hard.”

Thorin smiled hopefully at that, leaning closer to Bilbo. “So you're okay, then? I had no intention of harming you.” His response was a small hand pushing his forehead back.

“Yes, I'm fine. Don't you start overcrowding me. While I don't appreciate having such an unfair opponent- and really, someone who isn't ticklish at all? I can't fully say it was a bad experience.” 

Thorin's eyes widened in surprise, and wasn't that strange, Bilbo thought, that he had the capacity to put these expressions on the eternally stoic Thorin Oakenshield. “Really? It felt good?”

“To a point.” Bilbo grudgingly acknowledged. “There's a reason children do it you know, it's a harmless way to share excitement between people. Mind you, I'm not a child anymore and I get plenty enough excitement from this quest, so I really don't need anymore. But, I guess it was okay this once.” Bilbo finally leaned up into a sitting position, only to be enveloped in one of Thorin's rare hugs. 

“I'm glad then. And even though I can't be ticklish, I liked it, too.” Bilbo snorted loudly at the words. “Of course you liked it, you were the one who got to do the tickling. But no matter, I will get my revenge some day.”

“And how will you do that?” Thorin responded with that hint of playfulness that Bilbo would never have known if it weren't for this very strange event. And since Thorin was playing this game, Bilbo decided that there was no reason he couldn't as well. So he gave Thorin a mischievous smirk of his own.

“I'm sure I'll eventually find something.” And at that moment, Thorin hoped he would.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is the closest to anything physical I have ever written for a ship haha. I can finally say I've gone a bit further than a shy kiss. (well, its true that no one kissed here, but I feel that regardless, this is much closer to actually writing a ship)


End file.
